The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask joins other N64 classics Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, Perfect Dark, and Banjo-Kazooie in being 100% decompiled (via ReCollect64).
Handled by the same that worked on the Ocarina of Time decompilation project — ZeldaRET — this project kicked off back in March 2021, and it's taken over three and a half years to get the output to match the ROM source 1:1.
What this mostly means is that it opens the door for fans to make PC ports of the game, though many have already been working on other things using the data, like Zelda 64 Recompiled. And as ReCollect64 points out, mods will also likely be on their way.
This doesn't mean the work is over, of course — there are still regional variants and code that needs cleaning up, but the main work is done, as the project lead told others on the Discord server (via GBATemp):
"With the merge of the final Boss, Majora, Majora's Mask has reached 100% matching code decompilation for the US version. ...
Even with 100% for the US version, this does not mean we are done. Just like OoT, there are many other versions to work on, general code base clean up, and plenty of documentation left. Not to mention helping other games in the server reach this same milestone."
The decompilation project for Majora's Mask doesn't include the 3DS version of the game, just all of the regional versions and the 1.1 revisions. The current project has completed work on the US Version 1.0 cartridge, which is still a heck of an achievement.
You can check out the Majora's Mask decompilation over at ZeldaRET's GitHub page.
Have you been tracking the decompilation work? Let us know if you intend to check this out in the comments.
[source zelda.deco.mp, via bsky.app, gbatemp.net, defaultdnb.github.io]
Comments 19
Love to hear it, looking forward to its applications next!
This makes my day. I’ve been loving the OoT pc port Ship of Harkinian with all the quality of life options and a built-in randomizer. Thanks to the hard work of these awesome doods hopefully I’ll be able to do the same with MM soon.
This is how I played Ocarina of Time in 60fps on Wii U. 😁 And yes, I have the N64 cartridge, the Virtual Console editions on Wii and Wii U and the 3DS version. Funny that the only version running at 60fps is that.
@AlanaHagues
"Zelda: Majora's Mask Decompilation Project Now At 100%"
"What this mostly means is that it opens the door for fans to make PC ports of the game"
That doesn't sound very legal?
I can't remember: should I be celebrating this, or condemning the illegitimate proliferation of copyright property?
This ensures Majora's Mask will not meet a terrible fate.
@Zaphod42 Ship of H is amazing right? I played this year on Steamdeck, even the 'moveable camera' feature (full motion using right stick) is absolutely a game changer.
EDIT - ShipOfH are also soon to do Starfox64 a similar treatment.!
@Lofoten That's for the fun police at Nintendo to worry about.
@Lofoten It's legal since it doesn't include the game, and it will only work with one specific ROM version as there is no emulation.
Most people don't know that they fixed bugs in N64 games, so they released new updated carts with fixes and shipped them to stores.
This is why there are V 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 etc. of N64, SNES games etc.
Since you couldn't download fixes, they shipped new carts instead...
Those who bought the games last, got the best versions.
Nothing changed as you often still need to wait a year until you get a fixed game today too.
@CJD87 @Zaphod42 You might already know, but the Ship of Harkinian devs already released a PC port of Majora's Mask earlier this year. It's called 2 Ship 2 Harkinian.
@Toastmaster Who told you it’s legal? The people who are doing it? Or a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property roghts?
So proud of the individuals who do this kind of work. Gives me hope for future generations and beyond.
@gcunit celebrate it. Stop licking corporate heels.
@gcunit the thing about decompilation is that its made to be as non-copyright infringing as possible.
A game's source code is like a recipe for a cake that only a few people know of while a decomp is like trying to debake a cake to get a recipe that makes a similar result. You're not stealing a recipe, rather you're recreating it.
Also most of them don't include assets which throws off like 90% of the infringement value
@Banjo- That's because in 3D games of that era frame rate was often tied into animation. Most 1st party n64 games are just capped at the fps they were designed at for that reason. Which is why every VC release only runs at 20 fps no matter the hardware.
...though I dunno if the 3ds remake is designed like that. But that not hitting 60 would be a 3ds limitation if it isn't.
It's very impressive (and runs like a gem on Steam Deck), but I've been struck by how much motion sickness I get from it. I'd have thought the lower frame rate of the original would produce that effect, but the higher frame rate of the PC version actually causes much more trouble. As for why, I have no idea.
Wish I understood this stuff better. I've been playing Majora's Mask at 90 or 240fps (depending on what device I'm using) for months now, yet the decomp just completed. Banjo Kazooie has completed decomp, but we have no idea if a port will be built by anyone. I know MM was using recompilation, but they say it benefitted from the near completeness of the decomp project.
Can't wait for Starship, and whatever else is being cooked up by all the awesome devs in the fan community!
@domatron66 I know that, but I didn't find any animation issue and I completed it 100%.
Can't wait to play this on Steam Deck
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